All the Arts, All the Time

Museums offer free admission for active-duty military families this summer

May 24, 2011 | 10:49
am

Museums around the country are offering free admission to active-duty military families this summer in an initiative led by the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, an organization to support families of military personnel.

The free period begins Monday, which is Memorial Day, and ends Labor Day, Sept. 5. This is the second year for the Blue Star Museum program, which features more than 1,300 museums around the country, including more than 500 museums new to the program this year.

NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman helped to inaugurate this year's Blue Star Museums program at an event in San Diego on Monday.

Active-duty personnel need to show valid military ID, which will give free access to up to five additional immediate family members. Active duty National Guard and Reserve members also are eligible.

Among the participating institutions are the National Air and Space Museum and other Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C. You can find a list of museums in your state using the NEA's interactive map. Here's a list of participating museums in the L.A. and San Diego areas.